The present invention generally relates to apparatus and methods for powering treatment of airflows in an Environmental Control System (ECS) to remove particles using a self-contained aircraft electronic air treatment system.
ECS of various types and complexity are used in military and civil airplane, helicopter, and spacecraft applications. In aircraft for example, airflow may be circulated to occupied compartments, cargo compartments, and electronic equipment bays. Humid air containing many pollutants such as particulate matter, aerosols, and hydrocarbons may be delivered in a heated condition to the ECS. As the humid air cools, aqueous vapor condenses into liquid. The entrained moisture may be uncomfortable for passengers, unacceptable for air-cooled electronic equipment, may cause windshield fogging, and may cause corrosion to exposed metals. The ECS may include provisions to dehumidify the air supply during cooling operations to provide a comfortable environment for the passengers and crew, where particle separation may be an important function.
Some aircraft ECS operate on an air cycle refrigeration principle. Depending on the cycle architecture, particle separation may be categorized into high-pressure, mid-pressure, and low-pressure regimes. A high-pressure extractor typically removes the entrained moisture prior to expansion in the air cycle machine. A mid-pressure separation may be performed on air expanded by the high-pressure stage, but prior to expansion in the low-pressure stage in an air cycle machine with two cooling stages. A low-pressure separator typically removes the entrained moisture following expansion in the air cycle machine. In some separator systems, electronic based separators may require high voltage to charge and agglomerate the small particles present in the airflow into larger droplets. A typical electronic separator may require a dedicated high voltage source to provide sufficient voltage for charging particles.
As can be seen, there may be an ongoing need to have a self-contained electronic air treatment system without the need for an external electricity source while maintaining particles charged and liquid particle separation efficiency.